Why the new and useless layout?

Have been using WP for some time now, and loved how I could log on and just click on the dark grey top bar to add a new post. If I felt like it, I could also just click forum and I was there.
Now I have to search the dashboard to add a new post, stupid, and there is no quick link to forum. Why?
It worked great before, now it´s just that more difficult and I also have trouble finding some other quick buttons.
Please give them back to us, it may be easier for you(?), but you just made it more annoying for us users.

Part of it is now done by tabs. Whenever I log in, I get a page with tabs, choose ""My Blogs" and then can choose more options, which in one way is convenient when you just want to look at some features like, say, stats. But I agree with you, the change has made it really more awkward to, e.g., simply add a new post.
That, as the decision by the developers to make the "tags" no longer link to other blogs, but to one's own, just as the categoreis, has been rather a lonely one on the side of the developers. I really wish, in gthe sense of openness, that they would ask the users first. It should not be that difficult.

I've seen a few changes to the main page since joining wordpress a few years ago, and the same thing happens every time. People hate it at first, because nothing's where it was before. Then after a few days the complaints die down as people get used to the new set-up as the norm. Just give it time.

@ lettershometoyou
I don't quite agree. The reasons why - after a few days - complains die down is because people see that it's useless to complain and they simply have to accept the changes, whether they like them or not.
And contrary to what the makers of the blog say, the new way is not more user friendly, at least not in my experiende. Whereas previously I could access any function, be it "add new post", "site stats" or whatever, from any and all of my different blogs with just one click, I now need to go through a couple of clicks to do that. Not exactly an improvement to my mind.
Some of the changes made here at wordpress remind me of software engineers "improving" software with just what they consider an improvement, without the input of the people who actually use the soiftware.

It´s pretty clear to me that my post has hit something. The easy access to add new post, is gone, which in my view is one of the most important features ever, because the entire reason you have a blog here, is to post something, right?
And yes, as someone said, after a few days the complaints die down, but just as Facebook, complaining is useless, because here is a product that is great but the developers don´t care about making it user-friendly. I use a laptop, with no mouse, so sometimes using the pointer can be a little tricky while in the train. That means negotiating the dashboard to find the "add new post", often ends in comments" or a reload of the dashboard screen. Why do something stupid like this?
I would like to know if the developers actually read the posts here, because frankly the need to.
Keep it as it is now, just give us back the "add new post" shortcut.

@formulaoneupdate
If you click into this thread you will note that Staff member nickmomrick has posted into it. I'm assuming as he posted into that thread he has bookmarked it and will be monitoring it, I'm thinking that so posting there may mean that it's more likely for your feedback to be noticed by him.

Timethief: I really don´t want to offend anyone, but.....You think? Really? A staffmember participated in the debate, so naturally they will monitor it, that´s great. And we all know just how useful that is.....
yes it´s more bloody likely to get feedback, that doesn´t mean they actually do something about it. WordPress just got a helluva lot more annoying to use, and I must confess I am seriously considering going back to Blogspot, which didn´t have near the possibilities and options I have here, but at least the features you use the most, were just right there....

I hear you and if you want to vent you can submit a comment to my post. We are being free hosted and WordPress.com is not frozen in time; it's on continuous roll-out. That means changes to the code are being made many times daily and new features and functions are being introduced, while existing functions and features are being improved and upgraded. So we experience changes without prior notice, and we are left with either graciously accepting such changes, or hiring a web host and setting up our own self hosted WordPress.com install, or moving onto another blogging platform where such changes are rarely made.

@formulaoneupdate WP has not changed the perma links to "post-new", "wp-admin" (Dashboard), "page-stats", "upload" (media library) among other pages. I don't rely on WP's bar to access these pages. Instead, I created short cut buttons that stay on my FireFox Bookmarks Toolbar and since then, it's always been one click to create new post, see my stats, for instance. Internet where I live is slow and not wanting to click so many pages when one will do, I created those short cuts that make my life a little easier. Hope this idea helps you too.

I haven't really paid attention to the new style except to notice a few differences, but reading what many people are saying, I figure they have to be writing for good reasons.

Therefore, I am lead to ask this question:

When this new system was created, what was the guiding criterion? Was it aesthetics and smooth clean lines? Or was it clear, one-on-one functional with no buttons leading to other buttons and bloggers having to learn what those buttons mean?

I would rather have an old fashioned functional look where everything is visible and available and you don't need a "key" to get at what you want.

If that old fashioned functionality could be combined with a streamlined, modern techy look, then I'm happy, but if I had to choose, I would choose what makes me everyday life and usage of my blog easier.

@lornakismet
This is a peer support forum and we Volunteers experience exactly what every other member experiences without any prior notice when changes are being made. The only information provided by Staff is here.

Volunteers cannot answer your questions. Staff have deactivated the support link until early Monday, September 26th (UTC) and as this is not an urgent matter you can use that link to post your questions to Staff at that time.

OK. I think my questions were more just to get my thoughts out into the air rather than a request for an answer, or a quick answer..... and my comments were meant as much to share with others who are writing to this forum

It's like accusing a Volkswagen of not having a soft ride and high speed or a Maserati of not getting a lot of miles to the gallon. It all depends on what the guiding principles were, except in this case, the overriding priorities are not clear. Form or function?

I have to say that I miss the easy links to wordpress.com, freshly pressed from my wordpress.com dashboard (left hand side).

I think it's important for wordpress programming staff to understand that unlike them, some of us just don't have time to hunt around or dig through 2-3 clicks deep to find a WordPress.com function. Blogging is only a small part of our lives.

I´ve realised something since my previous post. WP has changed, from being very, very good for the ordinary user to be turned into a place for - sorry about this - specialists, nerds and geeks. Again, it´s my view and is probably wrong. But just think about how many functions you can click that has absolutely no value to you. Sure if you pay for a theme and you then know something about programming, then go for it. But the simplest things have just become even more difficult. That´s the point, and that needs to change